Automatic rain-water-cut-off device.



LE ROY HBI'LIN, J- L. HEPLIN & G. E. PENISTEN.

' AUTOMATIC RAIN WATER GUT-OFF DEVICE.

Y AIILIOATION FILED MAR. a, 1911.

1,030,175, Patented June 18, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

LE ROY HEFLIN, J. L. HEPLIN & G. .E. PENISTEN.

AUTOMATIC RAIN WATER GUT-OFF DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 8, 1911.

Patented June 18, 1912.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 2. (3 6,

LE ROY I-IEFLIN, JAMES LEONARD HEFLIN, AND CHARLES ELWIN PENISTEN, OF

FAIRFAX, OKLAHOMA.

AUTOMATIC RAIN-WATER-CUT-OFF DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June18, 1912.

Application filed March 8, 191-1. Serial No. 613,198.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LE RoY HEFLIN, JAMES L. HEFLIN, and CHARLES E. PENIS- TEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Fairfax, in the county of Osage and State of Oklahoma, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic'Rain- Water-Cut-Off Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to cut-offs, and more particularly to the class of automatic rain water cut-oft devices.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an automatic cut-oil in which flowing water containing sediment and foreign matter will be directed to the ground for a predetermined period oftime, so that the water will have a chance to clarify, prior to the conducting thereof to a cistern or other depository for use.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cut-off which is simple of construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in operation, and inexpensive in manufacture.

lrVith these and otherobjects in view, the invention consists in thecOnstructiOn, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings: Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a corner of a building, with the invention mounted in position relative to the eaves-trough thereof. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the cut-oft, the same being on a slightly increased scale. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view through the cutoff, showing the chute valve in shifted position. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4.-1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the cut-off. Fig; 6 is a sectional view through the nipple valve on one of the balancing cups.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawingsby numerals, 2 designates the vertical walls of a building, and 3 the sloping or slanting roof thereof, so that rain water falling thereon will drain into the eaves-troughs 4 connected to the building in the ordinary well-known manner, the said troughs being inclined to a common point, so that the rain watercaught therein will be conveyed to a cut-off, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The cut-0E comprises a substantially oval-shaped body 5, the same being formed at its lower end withtubular branch nipples 6 and 7, respectively, while its opposite or upper end is open and provided with a lateral trough extension 8, the same being in communication with one of the eaves-troughs 4, while the other eavestrough communicates directly with the upper open end of the body, so that water held within the troughs'will empty into the said body.

Connected with the nipple extension 7 of the body is an elbow pipe 9, which has communication with a suitable stand pipe 10 leading to a sewer or the ground, so that polluted rain water may be conveyed thereto. The nipple extension 6 has connected thereto an elbow pipell disposed at right angles to the elbow pipe 9, and communicates with a cistern supply pipe 12 which is con nected'to the elbow pipe 11,'so that purified rain water may be delivered to a cistern for household or other purposes.

Within the body 5 is arrangeda swinging funnel-shaped chute 13, the latter being fixed to and depending from a rocking pivot 14 j ournaled in opposite side walls of the body, the chute 13 being adapted to communicate at its smaller end alternately with the elbow pipes 9 and 11 for altering the course of the rain water entering the body from the eaves-trough.

Fixed to the end of the pivot 14 and straddling the body 5, externally thereof, is a stirrup or yoke frame'15, the pivot 14: being secured to its arms 16'medially thereof. Thisyoke frame 15 is provided at its closed end with an outwardly extending .weight supporting finger or hanger 17, from which is suspended a pendant weight 18, whlch serves to normally hold the chute 1S 1n position for direct communication with the elbow pipe 9, whereby on the beginning of a downfall of rain, the water caught in the eaves-troughs 4 will be conveyed into the chute 13, carrying with it all sediment and foreign matter. Thence the polluted ram water will be delivered through the elbow pipe 9 and the stand pipe 10 to a sewer or the ground.

Below the trough extension 8 of the body 5 and secured thereto is a depending casing 19, the same being open at its free end and is arranged in alinement with a bypass or branch pipe 20, one end thereof being fixed to the elbow pipe 11, and its other end fixed t0 and opening into the cistern supply pipe 12, the major portion of the bypass or branch pipe 20 being parallel with the said cistern pipe 12.

Arranged within the casing 19 and the bypass or branch pipe 20 are vertically movable upper and lower water cups or bucket-s 21 and 22, respectively, the same'being open at their month end and are united by means of a tie rod 23, the lower end of which is suitably fixed centrally to the bottom of the cup or bucket 22, while its upper end is threaded and detachably engages in an internally threaded socket formed in a boss 24 provided centrally on the external face of the bottom of the cup or bucket 21, so that on movement of one of the cups or buckets, the other cup or bucket will be simultaneously moved therewith, for a purpose as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Formed in the trough extension 8 of the body 5 is a suitable opening communicating with the barrel 19, the said opening being covered by a foraminous or wire mesh strainer 25, so that sediment or other foreign matter will be excluded from the easing 19 when the rain water initially enters the casing 19 for filling the cup or bucket 21, while said rain water is running within the eaves-trough 1 communicating with the trough extension 8 that directs the polluted water into the body 5.

Suitably fixed to the bottom of the cup or bucket 21 is a cross bar 26 provided with eye extremities, to which are loosely con nected links 27, the latter'being also loosely connected to eye extremities 28 formed on the free ends of the arms 16 of the rocking yoke frame 15, so that on the filling of the cup 21 with water which has a filling capacity sufficient to receive a quantity of water having a weight greater than the weight of, the weight 18, thus causing the rocking of the yoke frame 15on the descend ing of the cup 21 in the casing 19, thereby shifting the chute 13 from normal position to direct communication with the elbow pipe 11, whereby the rain Water emptying from the eaves-trough 4 into the body will be directed by the chute 13 into the elbow pipe 11, and thence to the cistern supply pipe 12, where the purified rain water will be trapped for use.

Disposed at. the, communication between the trough extension 8 and the casing 19 is an automatically closingflap valve 29, the same being pivoted, as at 30, to'opposite walls of the barrel 19, and is disposed in the path of upward movement of the cup or bucket 21, so that when the latter is raised within the casing 19, it will automaticallyopen the valve 29 to permit water from the trough extension 8 to fill the cup 21,'for a purpose as has been'hereinbefore described.

Mounted in the bottom of the cup 21 is a drain cook 31, the latter being controlled by means of an adjustable needle valve 32, and through this cock 31 is adapted to be exhausted the water drained within the cup or bucket 21, the needle valve 32 being adjusted to regulate the exhaust of water therefrom.

Mounted in the bottom of the bucket or cup 22 is a drain cook or nipple 33, through which is discharged the water contained in the said cup or bucket, the water entering the latter through a suitable vent 34: formed in the elbow 11. Thus, in this manner communication is established between the said elbow and the by-pass or branch pipe 20, the tie rod 23 connecting the cups or buckets 21 and 22 being passed through the vent 3 1 and an alining aperture 35 in the elbow pipe 11. It is apparent that the water caught in the cup or bucket 22 from the elbow pipe,

11 will be discharged into the by-pass or branch pipe 20, whence it will be delivered into the cistern supply pipe 12. On the filling of the cup or bucket 22, it enables the latter to assist the cup or bucket 21 when filled to shift the chute .13 and sustain it in its shifted position.

In the operation of the cut-off, it is to be assumed that the chute 13 is in normal posi tion for directing the discharge of water from the eaves-trough 4 into the elbow pipe 9, whence it will be conveyed through the stand pipe 10 to a sewer or the ground. On the downpour of rain, the eaves-trough 4 will become flooded with the rain water, which latter, together with all sediment and foreign matter, will be poured into the trap 55, the water, together with the sediment or foreign matter being caught in the chute 13 and directed therefrom into the elbow pipe 9 to the sewer or ground. During the running of the water in the trough 4:, a certain amount thereof will leak through the strainer 25, as the valve 29 is in open position, thus causing the filling of the cup or bucket 21 and when the latter has become filled, it will effect the automatic shifting of the chute 13 from normal position to communication with the elbow pipe 11. At the time of the shifting of the chute 13, the polluted rain water flooding the eaves trough 4; will have become purified, so that during the continued downpour of rain, the water will be conveyed through the elbow pipe 11 to the cistern supply pipe 12, and

thence to the cistern (not shown), for household or other uses. When the downpour of have become emptied, whereupon the Weight loo 18 will cause the automatic shifting of the chute 13 to normal position, where it will be stationed for the next rain pour, and in this manner, the rain water will be purified and free from all sediment or foreign matter prior to its delivery through the cistern supply pipe to a cistern, the filter being thoroughly sanitary and will be prevented from choking, so as. not to interfere with the proper working thereof, as will be clearly obvious.

The bucket 22 arranged within the bypass or branch pipe 20 is designed to catch the water as the same passes downwardly through the elbow pipe 11, so that should the water contained within the bucket 21 leak therefrom the weight of the water in the bucket 22 will sustain the chute 13 in its shifted position for directing the water into the said elbow 11, as the water in the trough extension 8, when flowing with considerable force, would pass the aperture or opening 25, without any considerable amount of leak age through the said aperture; thus the bucket 21 would become emptied and by the bucket 22 being filled, it will be impossible for the chute 13 to shift during the flow of water.

What'is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a body having branch outlets, an inlet trough extending from the body, a rocking chute pivoted within said body and adapted for alternate communication with the outlets, weighted means normally holding the chute in communication with one of the outlets, a receptacle for receiving a predetermined amount of water from the trough and connected with the weighted means for automatically shift-ing the chute to the other outlet when the said receptacle has been filled with water, a valve mounted at the bottom of the said receptacle for permitting a gradual exhaust of water therefrom when the same has been filled, adjustable means controlling said valve, and a receptacle communicating with one of the outlets for receiving a predetermined amount of water and having connection with the first-named receptacle to assist the same in overcoming the weighted means.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a body having branch outlets, an inlet trough extending from the body, a rocking chute pivoted within said body and adapted for alternate communication with the outlets, weighted means normally holding the chute in communication with one of the outlets, a receptacle for receiving a predetermined amount of water from the trough and connected with the weighted means for automatically shifting the chute to the other outlet when the said receptacle has been filled with water, a valve mounted at the bottom of the said receptacle for permitting a gradual exhaust of water therefrom when the same has been filled, adj ust able means controlling said valve, a receptacle communicating with one of the outlets for receiving a predetermined amount of water and having connection with the firstnamed receptacle to assist the same in overcoming the weighted means, and means for permitting the discharge of water from the last-named receptacle.

3. The combination with a body, of elbow pipes leading therefrom and adapted for communication with a cistern and sewer, respectively, a rocking chute pivoted within the body for alternately directing water to each of said pipes, a trough extension on the body, a casing depending from said eX- tension and communicating therewith, a water bucket slidably fitted within the casing and adapted to receive a predetermined amount of water, means normally holding the chute in position for opening into the pipe communicating with the sewer and having connection with said bucket, whereby on the filling of the latter, the chute will be automatically shifted for communication with the other pipe, means in the bottom of said bucket for permitting the discharge of water therefrom, means for regulating the last-named means, and an auxiliary bucket connected with the first-named bucket and communicating with the elbow pipe leading to the cistern for receiving water therefrom for assisting in shifting the chute.

In testimony whereof we affix our signa tures in presence of two witnesses.

LE ROY HEFLIN. JAMES LEONARD HEFLIN. CHARLES ELVVIN PENISTEN.

Witnesses:

C. R. CHADWICK, B. F. HARRIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). G. 

